Yesterday the third battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine ‘Donbas” has taken oath of allegiance as a new military unit. Before that, on Thursday, a group of foreign journalists visited “Donbas”. They arrived with several interpreters and asked for an opportunity to communicate with the fighters. They came up to a rank of 460 fighters dressed in unmatched camouflage and were shocked to hear… English! As it turns out, at least 40 of DFD fighters speak English freely. It turns out that in civil life the people holding automatic guns now are chief financial executives, marketing managers, programmer, lawyers of Donetsk and Luhansk corporations and international corporations as well. Of course, they could settle comfortably in any country, they could get a nice and quiet job in any part of the world, but they do not want to lead a life of office plankton. Those Men, those Citizens put off their business for later and made a decision to protect their Motherland with weapons in their hands. They parked their “Lexuses” and “Mercedeses” and went to plow through the dirt during tactical trainings and to run around shooting grounds upon the orders from the instructors. The do not ask to ease-off, they only ask to teach them as much as possible, because they are determined to free their Donbass with weapons…

I personally was greatly moved by a 55 year old fighter, a former USA citizen of Ukrainian origin, a businessman owning a big house, several cars and having a thriving life, big family and grandchildren who refused his USA citizenship and acquired Ukrainian nationality in order to be able to help in liberating our Motherland. He is a man with an automatic gun who does not measure life and honour in amounts of money in bank account.

Afterwards there was practice on the training grounds carried out by yet another “Donbas” volunteer, who was wearing a Jewish kippah. He laughs: “It is to make sure that there are no doubts who are antifascists here”.

The group of volunteers demonstrated in action police antiterrorist tactics including shooting.
The ranks broke up upon the order “Dismissed!” and interesting communication started. In English. And everybody forgot that this noisy, open, intellectual community without any subordination in conversations but evidently based on partnership and brotherhood is actually a military unit. It seemed absolutely incredible that these people, who share their impressions about the recent journeys around Europe, could have abandoned their prosperous comfortable lives and armed themselves with automatic guns and sniper rifles since it is clear that weapons are not a weekend game for them, but a real tool.

I personally do not know if the volunteer defense forces can become the basis for creating new Ukrainian military. But I wish that every our military unit would consist of such fighters and would have the same human relations within it.

But I am absolutely positive, that those incredible men are the real Ukrainian elite. They are the citizens who understand that Motherland is not just a place where you earn money and lead a beautiful life. Motherland is a land that you will protect at any price, even if the price is your life.